Educating the Educator: Applying a Growth Mindset Approach to Prepare Educators for Major Changes in Occupational Therapy Education.

Abstract

Several necessary shifts have been proposed in occupational therapy education, including antiracist pedagogies, inclusive teaching, competency-based education, and holistic admissions. These shifts are intended to prepare competent practitioners who serve diverse groups of clients and advocate for themselves and the profession. This shift may also call for significant changes to curriculum designs and instructional methods. Such changes require not only time, effort, and resources, but also a mindset open to change. Educators may resist this change for various reasons, including personal views on the proposed changes, limited time and resources, professional obligations, and lack of training necessary for successful implementation of change. Fostering a growth mindset for educators may facilitate accepting, implementing, or transitioning to new educational practices. Here, we propose an eight-step model for implementing change while following Kotter's model for implementing major changes. The model provides a road map for implementing major changes at various levels of systems that shape occupational therapy education.